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KEEP THE TENNESSEE RIVER BEAUTIFUL By Kathleen Gibi & Lisa Hood Skinner, CTA
KTnRB Hits Million-Pound Milestone

One million lbs. of trash have been • Oct. 11 - Luka, MS/Counce, TN/ Continuing to Make History
removed from the Tennessee River Waterloo, AL Pickwick Lake 2,091 lbs. Gibi said the timing of the million-
watershed, a significant milestone 10 volunteers pound milestone was appropriate, since
now accomplished by more than 5,000 • Oct. 12 - Golden Pond, KY Kentucky 2025 also marked the ten-year anniversary
volunteers who have helped the river Lake 4,112 lbs. 10 volunteers of the 2015 Tennessee River Tour, which
cleanup nonprofit, Keep the Tennessee • Oct. 18 - Chattanooga, TN Nickajack ultimately led to the creation of Keep the
River Beautiful® (KTnRB). Lake 4,330 lbs. 12 volunteers Tennessee River Beautiful, the first Keep
The organization put its first boat in • Oct. 19 - Guntersville, AL Guntersville America Beautiful affiliate in the nation to
the water in 2019. The million-pound Lake (cancelled due to weather) focus solely on a river.
milestone was officially reached at a fall • Oct. 24 - Hayesville, NC/Young Harris, The Tennessee River Tour was
2025 cleanup on Nickajack Lake of the GA Chatuge Lake 1,158 lbs. 1 volunteer implemented by the national nonprofit,
Tennessee River in Chattanooga. It was • Oct. 28 - Abingdon, VA South Holston Living Lands & Waters, who traveled with
during the 8th annual ‘Keep the Tennessee Lake 1,159 lbs. 3 volunteers their barge, hosting river cleanups in the
River Watershed Beautiful Month TOTAL 30,627 lbs. 75 volunteers four states touched by the main stem of
(KTnRWB Month) presented by TVA.’ the Tennessee River from Knoxville to
The October 2025 cleanup series Proclamations Paducah, Ky. The idea for the Tennessee
portion of the month’s campaign resulted Another tradition for KTnRB Month River Tour was sparked and championed
in 30,627 lbs. of trash removed by 75 is to obtain proclamations from elected at the City of Knoxville, who invited
volunteers from cleanups held in all seven officials declaring the month for the river. Living Lands & Waters to come with their
states of the Tennessee River watershed. Gibi said that October presents the perfect barge.
By the end of November, Keep the opportunity to push KTnRB’s ultimate It was Ijams Nature Center who kicked
Tennessee River Beautiful (KTnRB) has goal of empowering the community off the cleanup tour with their annual
worked to date with 5,293 volunteers to to make a difference, pointing to their multi-county cleanup known as the Ijams
remove 1,017,672 lbs. of trash. slogan: ‘Your river. Your impact.’ River Rescue, an event that many river
“Though our mission is to educate “This touches on the fact that, whether officials refer to as the first organized river
and inspire others to take action, it’s aware of it or not, whether positively or cleanup effort known on the Tennessee
our volunteers who actually inspire us negatively, no matter the level of effort, River.
every day. We see this milestone more you’re impacting your watershed every Ultimately, the campaign was funded
as something that was achieved by 5,000 single day,” Gibi said at a waterfront press by Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
individuals working together for their conference in Knoxville on Oct. 1, 2025 and Keep Tennessee Beautiful (through
collective river community,” said Kathleen that kicked off KTnRWB Month. Tennessee Dept. of Transportation funds).
Gibi, KTnRB Executive Director. “We are grateful to all of the elected At the end of the tour, Chad Pregracke,
“This is a big win for all of the officials who declared October to be Keep founder of Living Lands & Waters and
communities within the watershed, and the Tennessee River Watershed Beautiful 2013 CNN Hero of the Year, sat down
it just goes to show what a difference Month, demonstrating leadership that with TVA and Keep Tennessee Beautiful
community volunteers and partners can looks out for their part of the river and leaders.
make,” she said. beyond.” In that meeting, he stated that the
This year, 11 elected officials from four
Fall River Cleanups states, four counties, and three cities made Tennessee River was the most beautiful
Traditionally, the celebration month the proclamation, including: river he had ever been on, and that the
includes a river cleanup series tour with • Gov. Bill Lee – State of Tennessee project could not stop with a one-time
KTnRB’s two 26-foot work boats that take • Gov. Kay Ivey – State of Alabama campaign. From that conversation, Keep
volunteers to clean the shorelines. At two • Gov. Tate Reeves – State of Mississippi the Tennessee River Beautiful was formed
events, the national nonprofit Living Lands • Gov. Andy Beshear – State of Kentucky as the first Keep America Beautiful Affiliate
& Waters amplified the cleanup efforts by • Mayor Indya Kincannon – City of in the nation to focus solely on a river.
bringing two of their 30-foot boats. Knoxville History of Celebrating KTNRWB Month
This year, the October awareness • Mayor Glen Jacobs – Knox County, TN Gibi said that TVA originally challenged
campaign included a total of eight • Mayor Tim Kelly – City of Chattanooga KTnRB to celebrate an awareness month
scheduled river cleanups that touched • Mayor Weston Wamp – Hamilton for the Tennessee River. The awareness
the shorelines of all seven states in the County, TN month was launched in Tennessee in
Tennessee River watershed. They were: • Mayor David Byrd – Grainger County, 2018, announced by then-Governor
• Oct.1 Knoxville/Louisville, TN Fort TN Bill Haslam. It now has expanded into a
Loudoun Lake, 15,496 lbs. 28 volunteers • Mayor Robby Hatcher – Polk County, seven-state awareness campaign.
• Oct. 7 Harrison, TN Chickamauga Lake TN Dozens of proclamations from
1,921 lbs. 11 volunteers • Mayor Jason Jolly – City of Rockwood governors and mayors within the
20 TPW January/February 2026